Year Recap - 2011 Edition.

Happy holidays!!! I was going through my blog archive and came across my 2010 recap. It was a good read and I decided  to do a one for this year. This is definitely an online diary act.

So here we go with the 2011 recap.

Travelling

I thought 2010 was my euro trotting year but boy, 2011 brought it on. I travelled to similar or the same cities but I had more fun in 2011.  Cities - Budapest (my home, technically), London (study abroad), Wales, Oxford, Amsterdam, Brussels, Oostende, Paris, Madrid, Berlin, Venice, Abuja (my home in my heart), and of course North-East Tri-state in the USA. I was glad that I got to visit my favorite city, Paris, twice in 2011. It still remains my favorite Euro city, although Amsterdam is a major competitor in my heart. I should add Lisbon because I leave for there later today and would be there till the New Year's. I doubt 2012 would be as crazy because I would be making more thoughtful choices in my countries and be more thrift with my earnings for leisure travelling. 

I'm going to Geneva for 4 days, early January next year. I hope to venture to the south of France like Grenoble during my stay, fun times before my last semester as an undergraduate. Let me know if you have any suggestions for enjoyable activities in Lisbon and Geneva.

[Non-Platonic] Relationships

I seldom blog about this but 2011 had no romantic loving for me. I did not fall in love but I went on way too many dates *cough*. Well, ‘too many’ is relative to my dating history. I definitely understood love better this year but it remains a tricky concept. This year entailed a lot of marriage talk from my mother and friends. I paid none of their persuasions attention because I was really busy and geographically unstable, this year. However, I have started thinking about it. I want to get married early but there are many feats, like a terminal degree, that I desire to accomplish before taking such a major step. Tsk tsk. I believe in settling own with the right person when you feel it is the right time, simple. I will just continue to go with the flow.  

Friendships

I have always been a social person but I lack tact in choosing friends. In 2012, I will be working on making conscious choices on the kinds of friends that I want to have, post-college. While I was abroad, I met some of the best friends that I’ve ever had – shout out to Michelle and Kiah. It was amazing to go abroad and make friends with like-minded students who had truckloads of energy for adventure. The Nigerians at QMUL were also hilarious. There is something weird about Britigerians, good weird. My main study abroad friends are back to the US and our schools are far apart from each other but I hope we stay in touch. My summer in Abuja also nurtured several friendships from working with Kay to hanging out with Ms.Oreoluwa and getting to know an awesome ‘curfew boy’. On another note, I was glad that I remained friends with my college crew because I thought my semester abroad would strain our friendship but it didn’t! College has taught me not to push myself unto people. Everybody that I want to be friends with must not be friends with me.

Finances

I was consciously lavish with the travels, party-hopping, eating out etc while abroad and I loved every second. I was living my college dream and my purse had to feel the impact. #Notmad. Nonetheless, I am still a student on work-study. Thus, I had to find a way to repair the study abroad dent that I had made on my savings. This semester, I got a well-paid job as a Residential Assistant position on campus. I have also cut my wardrobe spending. I have been giving out lots of stuff too. Senior yr has been pro-decluttering.

Religion

2011 was not a very religious year for me, despite my conscious effort to improve in the latter half. I was concerned about this in the fall and I wrote this post here. I am trying but I tend to shove my spiritual ego aside because of academic and social commitments. I can only hope for a better 2011.

Blogging

This blog is about 30 months old now and I currently have 120 or so followers. My blog traffic significantly decreased in 2011 as a result of my minimal blogging. Much gratitude goes out to the readers who have  I commend bloggers like Ms. Oreoluwa and TWP, who keep up with their blogs. 

In sum, 2011 was eventful but I was happier in 2010. I know, I know. I had too many solo sad moments in 2011, despite my busy schedule. Life as an adult is definitiely not rosy. As usual, I have no New Year Resolutions but I’m starting this year with more positivity. My only regret 2010 is that I did not perfect my driving skills. My goal for 2012 is to become a confident car driver. I need to stop depending on people to get me to places.. I’m really excited to graduate from college this May with a Bachelors’ degree in Neuroscience at 20. Unfortunately, I don’t know what I would definitely be up to yet. Crossed fingers on my public health ambition.

Btw,  I finally won something i.e this awesome hand-made clutch made out of adire, below from Agsowho's one year giveaway. She has an awesome blog, mostly about fashion. 

Have a rest of 2011 and an awesom 2012! Don’t get caught up making resolutions, get it moving, time waits for no one.

Je t’embarasse

@yinkuslolo

Skin Deep

Race is just a social construct set for discrimination. 

Why can't we use nose sizes to categorise people?

Why must we use skin color to fit people into check-boxes?

I'm black and I have no problem with that.

Black pride at its best. 

Nodding at the random dark-skinned fellow seated across me on the tube.

Using the darkest shade of MAC Studio Fix, NC 55. 

I have no inferiority complex for being closer to the darker end of the spectrum.

That is not only because black don't crack. 

But because racial distinctions are only skin deep.

Did I hear someone claim that we live in a post-race society.

Oh yeah? I beg to differ. Mind the Gap. 

Why do we have affirmative action? 

Positive discrimination is about equality between people of different ethnicities.

This is not a ploy to boycott the regular procedure to favor the less privileged. 

What do I know?

Like always,
Je t'embrasse.

PS: My two-year blogaversary is coming up in June. I appreciate the support from my blog followers thus far. Passively reading or actively commenting on my posts means a lot. I'm just a bad writer trying to pen down my opinions and a few happenings in my life. For the two-year hall mark, I will be accepting 20 questions. So feel free to leave the question in the comment box or email me at yinkuslolo@gmail.com

Thoughts running through my mind while I was running through the park

Hey readers lovers,

I’m typing this post from the kitchen that I share with eight other flatmates, as I watch my drumsticks and white rice boil to edibility. Eight other people? It is very possible because not everyone cooks and the kitchen is actually big. We have sufficient utensils and cooking equipment for days. London is very sunny today; it reminds me of my 2010 spring break in Los Angeles.

In January, I went through a phase of drinking lots of SmirnOff Ice. Then, I stopped but I kept the evidence of my abstinence.

I'm addicted to fruits. I love the 1-pound fruit bowls in Whitechapel Road market kiosks.

The books that I planned to study during my semester abroad. I'm yet to turn a page of any :(
French dictionary. Random book by Daniel Schacter. Complimentary Cosmo Sex Guide (I didn't buy it, it came with the mag), GRE workbooks.

While I was running through Mile End Park earlier, I noticed many people jogging or riding their bicycles with dogs. Like the typical Nigeria-bred person that I am, dogs scare me. No joke! Even puppies can make shivers run down my spine. My mum is scared of dogs too. I guess that is whom I learned my fear from. I remember when I visited a friend in Paris for five days. When I got there, I met a dog and cat unexpectedly. I considered taking a flight back home immediately or checking into a hotel. But I didn’t. You don’t want to know how I survived in a two-bedroom apartment with those pets bullies. It was a struggle. In the park, there was a man playing with his dogs. He would throw a golf ball into the canal and the dog had to go get it. For some reason, I never knew that dogs could swim, until this afternoon. It was very interesting to see this particular dog swim gracefully.

While I was running earlier, I didn’t want my 34 GGs flying from Mexico to Kazakhstan. (ps: Bravissimo claims my babies are 34GGs. Before this year, I thought I was a 36DDD. So much for measuring boobs mehn). Back to my story, I was jogging slowly. I’m way too conscious of my boobs flying up and down, so I don’t go on the treadmill in the gym. But I got this really firm sports bra from Bravissimo (A British lingerie store for plus size). So, everything is in place, when need be.

While I was running earlier, I decided that I don’t want to be a UK size 10 or US size 6. I just want to be fit and toned. I have never been obsessively conscious of my physique but I get the satisfaction from seeing the reflection of a banging bod, when I stand in front of the mirror. Jennifer Hudson recently dropped a lot of weight, I don’t want that. I’m content with being as thick as I am, not thicker though. All I desire is more contouring, toned gams, abs and guns.

*insert imaginary awkward ending to the post here*

New fave song of the week: I'm a star by Chrisette Michele. I love this song. It's on the borderline of slow and fast RnB songs.

Linguistic discovery of the week: Most America-bred folks don't know what a 'lorry' is.

Je t'embrasse

PS: My debit card finally came in the mail. It took two weeks longer than expected because they initially posted it to my US address. I'm fine though :)
PPS: I'm embarking on a multi-city euro trip, for the first half of April. Sh*t is about to go crazy. Watch this space for the report.
PPPS: I'm putting the main body of this post from my drafts. It was written a week ago.

2010 recap. Happy New year!

So it’s 2011 and I want to do a 2010 recap for some aspects of my life that had some change. I’ve been tied up with household chores. So, I couldn’t write this up before 2010 ended. I hope y’all are having a beautiful 2011 so far. I am! I’m just really excited about going to London on Monday (Jan 3^rd), to start my semester abroad.  I’m going with an open mind, crossed fingers, and two boxes.

So here we go with the 2010 recap

Religion

I still believe in one God. I finally decided that it might be ok for some people do not believe in God. The most important thing is for them to do good, show love and not harm another person. I wish I spent more time with God in 2010. I hope to be better in 2011. Side note: that’s why I pray for a steadfast Christian husband because I need someone to ginger my religious spirit and not someone as easily distracted as I am.

[Non-Platonic] Relationships

This is an aspect that I rarely blog about. In 2010, love was a tricky thing. I easily fell in like but love took time. I narrowed down my characteristics of a partner. I learnt that you must not put a label on love and go with the flow. Also, everyone around you may seem lovey-dovey in his or her relationship but that r/ship may be going thru chronic emotional turmoil. My love is not blind; it wears glasses and contacts #igatjokes but seriously.

Travelling

I went to Budapest, Rome, Vatican City, Milan, Paris, London, Abuja, Madrid and Los Angeles, Atlanta, DMV, and of course North-East Tri-state in the USA. It was a crazy year. I’ve no regrets and I hope to travel more in 2011. Paris, France remains my favorite place. I spent only 5 days there but there was this homely NYC feel to her. The everyday style of Parisians was amazing too. French folks can cook, umm let me no get into the roadside crêpes. If I am to choose only one thing to do in France, it will be eating some crêpes.

Friendships

I developed a college friend circle tighter than a cheerio in 2010. We went to parties, had all-nighters in the library, talked about college guys, shopped and went thru so much stuff together.  My college friends may not know this but I love ‘em to bits. All of them are African-Americans but that’s the only common thing about ‘em; people with different interests – a poet, a romance linguist, an archaeologist... They can kill for my curry chicken too :D.  i’m def gon miss them ,when I’m away in London, this semester.

Finances:

I am not a full-time worker yet but 2010 is the year that I made the most money and spent the most. #dontknockmyhustle. Most of my money went on travels followed by my wardrobe. I curbed my wardrobe spending in the fall/winter though but I still have more clothing than I need.  I’ve to watch it in 2011 even though I know going to London will not help matters. I London is expensive and I don’t have a job there. But I can’t just be looking at Topshop like a lukuluku nah. So, I will be out for student discounts and will actually have a limited budget to spend with.

In sum, 2010 topped my previous years and 2011 will have to go far to beat 2010. But hey, cheers to better happenings in 2011. I believe it shouldn’t take one a whole year for one to realize that (s)he ought to change he(r) attitude. Thus, I have no New Year resolutions but I’m starting this year with more positivity.

Some of the topics in this post have been discussed on my twitter actually, so ff me @yinkuslolo on twitter and my tumblr at yinkuslolo.tumblr.com

This blog is about 18 months old now and I currently have 105 followers; I’m joyful. To those, who passively read my blog, thanks for doing so. To those who comment, your feedback is very much appreciated. I will try to get back to your comments more promptly this year.

Have a good 2011! Don’t get caught up in making resolutions, keep it moving, time waits for no one.

Feel free to leave your blog links and twitter IDs for me to check out.

Je t’embarasse

Thanksgiving

I am thankful for the following:

• I am a college junior ( university 3rd year level) studying Neuroscience (the study of the brain) and I am loving it.
• The chance to study abroad in London, next semester (spring 2010). Holla if you go to Queen Mary, University of London or know someone who goes there.
• The independence that was imposed on me at the age of 10, and it has turned out right so far
• Financial comfortability, meaning that I have all that I NEED, (not want).
• Good health, and hopefully better in the futrue.
• Sanity to not succumb to some worldly desires.
• Good hair, that I neglect sometimes but it still remains fly.
• My myopic sight that has forced me to see the world, patiently
• Technological advances that has made living easier.
• Friends, mostly seasonal but necessary. They all play a role at some point.
• The grace to keep my faith in the existence of God, even when challenged.
• Lastly, for my mum, who has been my mother+father all in one.

Free Twitter Backgrounds

Why are you thankful?

PS:  Holla if you go to Queen Mary, University of London or know someone who goes there.
PPS: ***drumroll*** my birthday is coming closer, DEC 19th. too bad I'll be losing 5 hrs of the day, in air.

Je t'embarasse.

Yesterday was Father's day

and all I could say was

'Happy Father's day, mom!'

Community service project in Nigeria this summer?

Remember when I blogged about being jobless, if I go to Naija this summer? Well, I guess I may not be anymore and it's not like I have gotten job or something but read on.

I spoke to someone in my school about funding an environmental project in Nigeria but I was late and the fund had ran out. Fortunately, I just got an email today that there may actually be some funding available.

NOW WHAT TO DO? WHAT TO DO?

I don't know how much is available but I am looking to do some community environmental-related project in or around Abuja?
Something like a built water tank, summer programs (which is not really practical)?
Basically something on a low budget of $3, 000 but with a long-lasting effect?
Time line: less or up to 2mths. Preferably 1mth.

Ideas please?!

I'm so glad that I may have a shot at giving back to my own motherland and make use of my summer time.

"You know that, I'll be coming home" (Bday special)

I prefer

1. Sucking to Licking
2. Humor to Swag
3. Ketchup to Cheese
4. Firm buns to great racks
5. Chocolate to latte pigmentation
6. creamed Hausa accent to British'
7. Wine to Beer
8. Spooning to Grinding
9. Porn to CNN
10. Hookah to Pot
11. Sums to Papers
12. Eyeliner to Lipstick
13. Kunu to Smoothies
14. Flats to Heels
15. Sums to Papers
16. Body to Face
17. the Chase to the Kill
18. good loving to cash

So, I really should be studying but Im just out of that mood. My Bday is in 2days, the 19th, Sat. Im going home next week. I'm not excited for either. I intended posting this on my bday, but Imma be busting my ass for my Orgo final then. So, here is my Bday special, my preferences. very random cos I was studying and these were the first things that came to my mind, in that order.

The title is a line from John Legend's Coming Home.

I just realised that I want one of these badly lol. They are made by Z.

and Myne Whitman's e-Book, A Heart to Mend. Both for my break/bday.

Peace. Love. and Coconut.

"Birthday sex, Birthday Sex."

Y'all be expecting read stuff about getting some action. holt! not yet, It's not yet my birthday yet.

But in 19 days, to be exact. yes, Dec 19th! bomp! womp! lomp! Coincidentally, Robby and I are birthday mates. Just putting it out there, in case you want to organize a party for us on FB, buy some stuffs from eBay, send us an eCard, and hug us thru skype.

This is going to be a legit year mark. Y'all know when your age grants you some statutory access, you be feeling fly. Lemme stop this round abt story, I dont know what this bday will look like. I dont have any expectations. Given it a serious thought and all I really want, besides the sentimental "Happy Birthday shout-outs", are
Good Loving. most importantly. (I don't mean BAMF stunts). I just want to chill and you know spend some QT with loved ones. Now, this is too much to ask for?

Adobe Photoshop for MAC. I need the App, for my hobby. (click on photos for more 411)

And a camera bag for my canon rebel T1i, which I just got.
This yr, I'll be jacking for my Orgo Exam final.
Last year, I was in air for the most part.
The year before that, I had >10 major college application essays, due the wk after. Explanatory.
And before that, I was in stuck in HS, prepping for another exam.

Btw, why is there a sketchy rumor about Yarddy being chronically ill? If the president is sick, how can the nation be healthy?

Je t'embarasse.
BAMF: Bad ass Mo^$^RFu*&(%^^$
QT: Quality Time

PS: My Text Size is off the hi-zack in this post, I don't have the patience to deal with Blogger's Editor. I tried and tried to no avail.

DC chilling, Halloween and other stories (My first personal pics included)

Sup fellow Blogsvillites?

I see some new bloggers popping, some have migrated to Twitter to discuss Blogsville and other issues, some funny/controversial/*^%? ones are acquiring a fan base, some females are chopping the hair off (including moi), some are still posting up poems (i dont read most them tho), some are just there, some are tryna get the Blogsville critic/judge title and some have gone MIA. Y'all know where you belong? How y'all been tho?

Mehn, Ms. Dufa's blog's playlist has been on, on my lappie, for the last 3 hrs. I'm feeling most of those jamz mehn. Like, my iTunes is becoming 2000 and late. Homegirl is busy jare. I was on Ms. Dufa's blog, after a long while today. PS: If I don't comment on your blog, trust me, I am in touch thru my Google Reader. if you don't use that ish, get on it. Google reader has been saving milions of my seconds of opening individual blogs.

So, how was my DC trip?
Last wkend was my fall break and I went PG chillin'. Good stuff mehn. But my 45 mins flight from JFK was unfortunately eventful. Fashi that side sha. I went shopping, chilling, went to DC's Chinatown branched to Smithsonian and saw the monument, White House, Air and Space Musuem. Basically, orisirisi avenues of American History. It was coincidentally Howard's Homecoming and before you ask I wasn't at any of them events but I went to Howard on Monday. That's the first HBCU, that I went visiting and guess what? I had to dress up because they dress-up to school at Howard. Say wetin happen! some folks at my school even go to class in their PJs mehn. Dressing is mainly for night time. But I wore my koi-koi oh cos I baffed up and my legs pain me tire that day. Howard has some strong hilly parts mehn. I met some folks there, cool Naija people feeling fresh, as expected. Some Howard infrastructures need to be renovated tho but I like the school. Even though, it's like the opposite of mine.

And then! I lost my Halloween virginity on Friday. Shit mehn. Kanye West was kicking it. For those that are not current, I was Kanye West (with boobs) and two of my friends were Taylor Swift and Beyonce. It was a long night jo. I'm not gonna dish out the long story but I recovered with 12 hrs of sleep.

And guess whataaaa! I'm posting pics. I have not posted pics of myself not because I don't want to identifed but I did not want to have a face to my blog-story. Anyway, due to popular demand, here are my Kanye pics. I didn't get the shutter glasses but I found that top in DC. I will like to warn you that on a regular day, I will not look like this. Well, I present to you Yinkuslolo, in her naked Kanye-ego. Dayum! I can't believe I'm not having some hawt [read: sexy] pic of my regular self up, as my first personal photo. whatevs mehn!

She's wearing a wig cos she's actually a brunette and I'm holding my shoe polish.
"Yo Taylor! I'm real happy for you and Imma let you finish

but Beyonce got the best video of all time!"

UPDATE: Pics have been removed.

PS: I usually have Orin by Adol on replay. I think the song is not popular and it's not really my in preffered genre but I have been feeling it for the last 6 wks. who else has?

So, I gave the 'talk'

It was basically about my transition to America(college really), as an African student. I didn't do the Nigerian culture ish and decided to present this sort of talk at the last min, actually 4 hrs before. Believe me, there was more to say.
This is not the exact version cos I added and omitted some stuff, while I talked. I wish I did better tho.

read the sketch below------------------------

**Speak some Yoruba…**

I just spoke an adage meaning (**insert here**) in a language that is not called Nigerian. And definitely not called African. It’s Yoruba.

I remember my 'Coming to America' like the last meal that I just ate. Every time I felt the plane descending, I thought the pilot was about to announce landing. I was anxious to step on the land that supposedly flows with milk, Mariah Careys, skyscrapers and honey. I was eager to touch the American soil. Yet, I arrived at the smaller-than-expected airport and came straight to the **insert school name here** bubble in a town in the middle of nowhere....otherwise known as amazing ***insert town here***

As a freshman, who had only seen the campus online, the college's beautiful, yet confusing, layout impressed me. I don’t have to emphasize how excited I was about the dryers until they shrunk my clothes or the way the butt-wetting automatic flush toilets in **campus center*** welcomed me. But the number of ‘how are u doing?s’, that I got per day was uncountable.

My presence in gatherings did not arouse any peculiar interest, besides my name badge with an 11-letter word, **guess unusual Yoruba name**. I had to explain the meaning and origin of my name, which actually means a full sentence, God surrounds me. Then, teach folks how to pronounce my name with the right intonation, until I gave up and accepted the anglo-phonetized version. In the process, I get the ‘You have an accent’, I tell folks that my accent is Nigerian. Then, the ‘Oh! You are African, what’s is that fluffy snack eaten in Angola?’ or ‘You speak English so well’ pops up.

Initially, I explained that because I am Nigerian, I am not meant to know stuff about other African countries like what people eat in Somali or smoke in Burkina Faso because Africa is some huge continent, bigger than Europe. I'm Nigerian, and I only speak one out of the 250 + languages we speak in Nigeria and English, which is my primary language. I have told people times without number that even though, I am considered an alien, visa-wise in the US, I have been speaking English all my life.

Overtime, I eventually ran out of patience for having to give what seemed like endless explanations. I became nettled and wondered why some people had a single story about Africa. The type of Africa depicted on TV, the primary source of global information. The Africa that has nothing worth publicizing other than starving children, endless wars, roaming lions and funny-sounding languages. But after spending sometime, I realized it is the single story, according to Chimamanda Adichie, that most of us have in mind that gives us a picture of a group of people. Unfortunately, this is true for africa. for me, it is not merely a single...." it is not merely a single story for a group of people from a country but a continent. It is not my fault that I initially thought going to New York guaranteed my seeing a celebrity. It is not my fault that I didn’t know the lower economic class also existed in America.

Whose fault is it? The informant, who omitted some information and repeated the preferred information that gives a false image. Or the informed, who fails to inquire?

Nonetheless, It's been a year and I'm still going strong. The American experience has been thoroughly entertaining. The cold during the winter is definitely incredible; I still look forward to shoving through the snow, touching it and checking the weather every 12 hrs. I still try to be politically correct, by **school's** standards, when I communicate with people. Don't forget that my mind is colonized by the British? Yet, I dwell in the African realm. I look forward to where my name is pronounced with the right intonation, when I can wear my regular trousers and take a siesta on the verandah in December.

I have left my beloved Nigeria for 18 months now. Yet, I think of ***school's name**, as aggressive, eclectic, motivating but I am amazed at how she wraps you in her energy, sexiness, openness and fun spitting expletives at all irrespective of color, gender and musical preference, a feature, sadly missing in many other places that I've been. ***words of F-Iyanda***

I’m glad that I came.

--------

Je t'embarrase

Two huge Dilemmas

-------------------------------------------------

I plan my breaks, as far as three months ahead. Honestly, it's just because of flight costs.

But I have been debating where to spend my spring break. Seriously, I'm confused.

I already planned to go to Naija this December, cos Mumcee will be there too. Also, I get to see my friends and folks, I have missed them. I get to retain my sanity. Naija is really home to me.

But my mum can't make it again, she is staying home in Budapest. I really want to see her. Else, this long-distance mother-daughter relationship will loose its elasticity. I have only been home for 3 weeks, this year.

I can't go to both places. So I have to decide.

Pros of going to Naija:

• I get to see friends and folks.
• I will enjoy the tropical weather and dodge this punishment, called winter.
• I will possibly go on a mini West-African tour.

Cons:

• I will lose $2000+ of my money to the cheapest air service that I can find to spend just 3 weeks.
• I will not see the most important, yet some-what absent, person in my life.

Pros of going home, Budapest:

• I'll see the infamous MumCee
• I will def go on a mini-European tour, if I can stay warm. I had better be warm ni.
• By hook, crook, or book, I will book a cheap flight. Even if I have to stop over in the north pole.

Cons:

• I will not see my friends, almost 2yrs now. I feel different from them.
• I will die of cold. No kidding, Yankee is cold, but Hungary is freezing yo. Clear slippery ice is not the best thing to be walked upon

To be honest, runsing three continents is no joke, not even funny. Don't do it, the fun ends after the first round-about trip.

Where should I go?

-------------------------------------------------------

My hair!!!

I can't maintain my real hair. It's treated but due for relaxing. I see no point in paying someone $60 to do my hair, when I will still get a weave. Ajebo girls in my school know nada about making one's hair. Now, my hair is short, breaking, somewhat-unkempt and covered with my lace-front wig. When the winter comes, it will just break off totally.

Thus, I want to take the big chop this weekend and go natural. I may not even grow it out, just keep it low. The low-cut hair-do is low maintenance but I prefer the long hair length. I will still be wearing my orisirisi hair extensions/wigs/weaves.

I am not yet into the empowerment thing, when you take the big chop and go natural or otherwise.

I want to do it for the financial benefit and time-saving advantage.

The hair is not even growing so I will let it go.

So, what am I still waiting for? Damn, I don't wanna remember what I looked like when I was on low-cut, back in high school. not the best of my looks. What if I have to bare my real hair and not like my cut. Well, I am too occupied to enhance my facial looks and wear screaming jewelry for the sake of a low-cut.

This hair?

--------------------------------------------

Anyway, I have to finalise my winter break itinerary before I end up staying in Yankee, my loss.

I'm off to work. Oh! This is my first time at my second job, I'm an Events' Usher.

I still want to take bar-tending classes sometime though.

Ignore typos and any mistakes as usual, Yinkuslolo dislikes proof-reading.

Je t'embarasse.

Pusher 101 - Open letter to my mother

You are not the best mother in this world.

But you have brought out the best in me.

• Your wavering maternal presence unleashed my independence prematurely.
• Your mediocre culinary skills forced me into the kitchen, at age eight, to learn how to make that eforiro.
  
• You drove by me, when I was talking to that boy. Even at age twelve, you trusted me. Maybe you didn't care. I thought you trusted me to not mess up. And I didn't.
• I wanted to learn how to drive, at age sixteen. You let me learn with the car. The only car we had. The car I was ashamed of. I bashed it. The car looked worse. I learnt my lesson. You smiled.
  
• Second year in college and you have not asked to see my grades. You taught me that my grades do you no good. Thus, I have never received a present for acing my classes, not even in elementary school.
  
• I can't impress you, you exhaust me. Funny enough, you are my fuel.
  

Mummy,

1. I keep praying for your addiction to Sudoku to go away..
2. I am sorry for hitting you, when I sleep. I have told you times without number, to change the size of the bed. All my life, we've have shared the same room, same bed. Well, different beds but same size.
3. I hope you learn how to eat sushi, someday.
   
4. I don't want us to stop our periodic family gossip.
5. I want you to stop saying 'Mehn!'. It's my thing.
6. I look forward to the day, we will share stories about the 'boy department'.

I am not going to praise you but next time, I win 9 awards at the end of the school year, I want you to be proud of me. I doubt if that will ever happen again. You can, at least, come stand by me and not just clap in seat. That, I find it difficult to forgive you for.

I want to be a better mother to my kids. That's a feat.

Happy Birthday Mummy!

WTF?

I can't understand this silent French movie

Organic chemistry is gonna kill my scholastic ego.

Mumcee is somewhere across the Pacific? I don't even know and I am tempted not to care.

Too much oestrogen flying everywhere but there is no XY-chromosomed being worthy of it? maybe, maybe not.

• 5 classes + 1 skill lesson.
• 
  
• 2 jobs.
• 
  
• Anticipated year-long chemistry research.
• 
  
• Community service - hospital volunteerism.
• 
  
• Co-chair of school's international student organization.

and all I have done today is daydream.

fucking daydream bitch!

My cavities are sore but will be waterlogged at noon, tomorrow.

I want to cry but even my myopic eyes are dried.

I don't want to infect anyone with this undeserving sadness.

I want no sorries but solutions. Maybe I'm moving too fast.

I can't dare to slow down

Ps: sympathy's not needed. Thank you.

Kreative Blogger Tag

I was tagged by YNC, so I have to share seven facts about myself, in no particular order.

1. I love food seafood, especially snails that I prepare from scratch myself.
   
2. I sometimes come off as dumb purposely because my brain (not even my DDs) takes the better part of the attention.
3. I remember people's first and last names, of almost every ethnicity, even if I see them in print just once. I am not a stalker but I still remember the names of my primary six classmates.
4. I don't know how to appreciate things conventionally cos I am shy like that but I know how to pamper my beloveds.
5. I am a spontaneous romantic. You will not discover this side of me except you crack unleash it.
6. I don't like writing papers. I skim thru my posts rather than proof-read, which I do 2 days later. Walahi! I detest writing, other than blogging and chatting. I would rather write a 5-hr calculus exam than write a 2-page paper.
7. I have a wavering self-esteem and I loathe this virtue.

Now, I have something to refer to when I am asked to describe myself. Whoo! Describing one's self is no joke.


I tag my fellow bloggers. Una plenty.

PS: Blueprint 3 is on the way. A new obsession is on the way.

Shawty get it down.

Dad-Daddy go home

Venus vs Mars.

Dusting the lenses

Lenses! A pair of recommended eyeglasses lenses? Contact lenses? Camera lenses? ......

I started wearing glasses in high school. Oh my! I was glad to acquire a new 'tech' accessory but I didn't know something else came with the baggage. That something was a virtue, patience. I could only see the things within the focal length(?) of my glasses clearly. Sometimes, my frame slid down my nose bridge and I had to push it up. Sometimes, my glasses were dusty from accumulating particles on the screen. Particles, which I sometimes did not know about, blurred my vision. I could not go anywhere that required vision without my glasses, even in the dark. I felt my curious self became restricted. My glasses became a significant definition of my person .

This year, I discovered the world of contact lenses. I felt relieved that I had left the world of a fenced vision. I felt unlimited. My curiosity became fueled to beat the . But my glasses were gone. The only inanimate object that could curb my not-so-patient-self.

I delved into photography, in high school. I must add, as an amateur. To write a book in a chapter, I became the school's [unofficial] photographer['and something else']. Two months before graduating, I lost my camera. This year, I got another one, not with the intention of taking pictures of other people but to have a recent sassy FaceBook picture, truthfully.

Looking back at the days, when I lived behind the lenses [whether it be the eyeglasses' or the camera's], when something, inanimate, reined my view of the world, I miss those days. I do not intend to go back to the days of myeyeglasses because my curious self can't stand that patience anymore. I lust for the days of the camera's. Not the chic take-a-picture-of-me-pregaming-with-tequila camera cos I have one of those already. I want one that can take pictures; pictures that will give more meaning to stilled moment.

But which camera? I am not up-to-date with what is hip in photography. I need suggestions. I do not have a price range cos I am ready to save for it, if I have to. I do not mind the physical size. I only mind its ability to awaken my 'photographic spirit'. I need to dust my 'lenses'.

Camera suggestions? or any thing that will assist me with developing my photographic ego?
Merci à l'avance

PS: Muyiwa, author of People in the Limelight, interviewed me, my responses can be viewed here.

Accent....{self - case study}

IMO, your accent contributes to your identity more than it does to any other thing/virtue.

Fact:

• I have a Nigerian accent, not the 'concentrated' type that can be associated with a particular tribe but the bland 'Abuja-bred' type.

When I'm not in Nigeria, I have been confronted with the "I like your accent." statement
and I reply with the "It's Nigerian" line.
Sometimes, people ask "Where are you from? You have an accent", once I speak.
I reply, "I'm Nigerian. You have an accent too. Where are you from?"

My last response is only used to make someone aware that not because I don't speak like you means I have a strange accent. It seems the word, accent, now means a different way of speaking. Everyone has an accent, simply a manner of pronunciation. If I am to choose, I do not want adulterate my Nigerian accent and give in to the supposed American 'easy-on-the-ears' way of speaking.

When I went home, ie Budapest, last week, I was booking a cab, with an agency in the USA, via phone and my folks told me that I was using an American accent. Just in one year! I knew it was not American cos even some Americans do not understand me at first hearing, when I speak unconsciously with my Nigerian accent. My folks probably meant my way of speaking had changed.

After taking a self-check, I have come to the conclusion that when I'm communicating with non-Nigerian folks, I speak differently, consciously, dropping the Nigerian non-English phonetic sounds, and pronounce all words plainly. For instance, if you call my office phone, I will talk to you with a very plain English accent but I blow pidgin with my Nigerian accent, when on my mobile.

That plain accent has been labeled "American" by my Nigerian folks and "British" by some Americans. If I am to choose any top five preferred accents to have, the American accent will not even be included. I am far from interested in the American or some European country's accent.

This accent thing can become a 'phonetic war'. For example, when I speak French, I debate using the plain accent or Nigerian.

I just want to be understood faster.

What will you think of a girl

eating sushi with chopsticks and
browsing on a pink-covered(?) laptop,
in the middle of the eating area of the lounge in a huge terminal?

Keep in my mind that this girl is shy and has a somewhat huge nappy hair-do, that people stare at, without pretense.

Ok! The girl is Yinkuslolo, me. The Chinese woman sitting across me asked where I got my sushi from and I told her I bought it yesterday, not in this airport. Her half-Chinese daughter is saddened by this news because she wants sushi. The woman looks at my laptop, hair, sushi, chopsticks laid by the side and says,
"This tells me a lot about you."

I wonder what that meant to her, what do you think?
To describe further, I have a smoothie, a carry-on bag, 'neck-pillow' and nothing else striking other than my dark skin.

But I can't figure out what her statement means. Oh well, she just left.

yinkuslolo?

kljhasdkslhaskhaudgdjkgjsa
gdsidsgkdjdgjkaawdguiadgjbasabjdjakbds
sdjkgaskgdaiudgasjkbkwjgadjgudkjdgjbahbdjdjsdbgsd

i know u may be thinking wtf is ze typing? hehee, i am blogging.

yinkuslolo is a....call me girl, lady. i fit into the 'sisi' category.

who names hir blog 'yinkuslolo'? i do. yes, u can guess the 'yinkus' part, what about the 'lolo' suffix?

i grew up amongst other kids, mostly in an older age group. i was teased a lot. now that i am quite grown, my cousins tell me stories about how they cheated me. examples of scenarios include my okin biscuit episodes. oh okin! the circular biscuits, my faves. they would take one piece from the pack and break it into ten little pieces, give me the lil pieces and take the remaining whole 3 pieces from me. well, with a kid's mentality, i tot the little ten pieces were more than the larger three pieces. i never noticed because they sang a song, titled 'yinkuslolo', for me. the name kinda stuck. my cuz still calls me that. so there goes the history of yinkuslolo.

did i just deflower this blog?